Learning for All: Historical Turning Points

Learning for All: Historical Turning Points 

October 25 | 5:30-6:30pm+ (Lecture with Q & A following) | Zoom Instructor: Professor Jacob Jurss

In June 2023, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case Haaland v. Brackeen, defending the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). While this case may have seemed primarily concerned with protecting Indigenous children, it also raised questions about tribal sovereignty, potentially impacting the sovereignty of tribal nations. Cook County Higher Education is hosting a series of three sessions that explore the origins of U.S. federal Indian policy in settler colonialism, with a particular focus on Ojibwe relations in the Great Lakes. These sessions will delve into the social, political, and institutional structures stemming from this historical context.

This session, as well as the entire series, is open to the community (and beyond).

Join Dr. Jacob Jurss for an engaging presentation on significant historical turning points that have had a lasting impact on federal Indian law. We'll examine pivotal events such as the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the Dakota-U.S. War of 1862, the Homestead Act of 1862, and the Dawes Act of 1887. Additionally, we'll explore subsequent developments in federal Indian law.

Additional Session Dates:

• October 4: Federal Indian Law Foundations
• November 8: Challenges and Resilience

Biography: Dr. Jacob Jurss is a scholar of early American history and Indigenous treaty rights. He has taught at various institutions, including the University of Minnesota, Morris, Metropolitan State University, University of St. Thomas, and Macalester College. Currently, he is a faculty member at Century Community College. His research focuses on intertribal relations between the Ojibwe and Dakota and their impact on tribal diplomatic relations with the United States. Dr. Jurss resides in Saint Paul with his wife and son, who are descendants of White Earth Ojibwe heritage.